Signal for railroad crossings



. Apr. 3, 1923.

11,415@,84Hi w. DICKHART SIGNAL FOR RAILROAD CROSSINGS Filed Sept. 25

, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 1 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Sept Elwin W DICKHART SIGNAL FOR RAILROAD CROSSINGS Apr. 3, i923.

Patented Apr. 3, 1923.

U TED STATES PATENT orrics.

WILLIAM DICKHAR'I', OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA; JOHN F. PFEIFFER ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID WILLIAM DICKHART.

SIGNAL FOR RAILROAD CROSSINGS.

Application filed September 25, 1922.. Serial No. 590,390.

T all to 710m it may concern.

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM DICKHART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evansville, in the county of Vanderburg and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signals for Railroad Crossings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signals for raiL road crossings and has for its general object, to provide means mechanically operated by a striker or stop on a car or cab of a locomotive, adapted to display or sound a signal,

.- orboth sound and display it in a prominent position at the crossing and, when the car or train has passed, to dispose the signal out of the way so that it will be known that the crossing is clear and that no car or train is approaching.

A more specific object is to provide a movable crossing signal combined with a cable and with novel trips and novel releasing means, by which the signal will be moved by the cable to a prominent position in relation to the crossing when a car or train is approaching the crossing and will remain there until the car or train leaves the crossing and will then be again shifted to a position indicating that the crossing is clear.

Preferably, the signal will comprise an electric gong and light, although it is within the spirit of the invention to employ one or both of said electric means. Electric contact or switch means is employed by which the signal is energized when it has been moved to warning position, such. switch means or contacts being opened when the signal is I moved to indicate that the crossing is clear.

Modification of the constructions hereinafter described and which are shown in the accompanying drawings may be resorted to without departing from the essential principles of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Fig. 2- is a plan view.

A section of railroad track is shown at 1 and along the same are the poles or supports 2 for the present apparatus. The crossing appears at 3. The poles 2 on opposite sides of the crossing are connected by upper and lower bars 4 and the other poles are arranged in sets and connected by bars 5.

he sets of poles 2' will be duplicated on opposite sides of the track so that the signal may be set and withdrawn by a car or train approaching the crossing 3 from either direction.

Certain of the poles 2 are connected by cross bars 6 to which are connected sheave brackets T- which carry sheaves 8. One or both sets of sheave brackets 7 are made adjustable by employing adjustable screw bolt connections 9 between said brackets and the cross bar 6.

An endless cable runs over the sheaves 8 and the tension of this cable is adjusted by the bolts 9 so that any slack in the cable can be taken up.

To one stretch of the cable 10 there is attached one of the trips by which the signal is operated and to the other stretch is connected the remaining trip. The cable 10 will be of such length on both sides of the crossing that the signal will be actuated in ample time before the car or train reaches the crossing and by providing the trips as explained, the signal will be first moved to danger position and then re-set to one side of the cross ing, regardless of the direction from which the car or train approaches the crossing.

The trips comprise a clamp block 11 to which is pivoted at 12 a trip 13 carrying rawhide rollers 14, two of which are arranged in a pair at the upper part of the trip and the remaining one at the lower end thereof. The lower trip 14 is disposed in position to be struck by a stop or striker 15 on the car or locomotive cab 16, said stop or striker being provided on its opposite faces with rawhide.

Secured to the: bars 5 are guidesv 17 which are provided with upwardly curved ends 18. The upper rollers 14are adapted to travel on the horizontal parts of the guides 17 and the trips 13 are, by this means, held in vertical position until they reach the end 18 of the guide, whereupon they will tilt upwardly so that the striker 15 can then pass the lower roller 14. As the trip 13 is moved along by the striker 15, it sets the danger signal which is shown, generally, at 19.

I prefer to employ a danger signal which is both visible and audible so that it will be effective during the day and night. Preferably, the signal will also have some suitable word such as Danger, or, Stop. The signal 19 is secured to the cable 10 by a clamp block 20 so that it will move a distance corresponding to the travel of the trip 13. The signal has an electric gong 21 and an electric light 22 and as it is movable between the posts or supports 2 on opposite sides of the crossing 3, it is in a position to arrest the attention of pedestrians and drivers. Preferably, two signals 19 will be used, one on each side of the track and carried, respcctively, by the two stretches of the cable 10. Each signal carries the switch means 23 for the gong 21 and other switch or contact means 24 for the light 22. Any suitable contact or switch means may be provided and detailed explanation thereof is unnecessary. The bar 1 carries the remaining parts 25 and 26 of the electric switch means, the same being in circuit with any suitable source of electric current so that when the contacts 23 and 24 engage the contact means 25 and 26, the gong will be sounded and the light 22 lit, and this condition will continue until the signal is mechanically moved by the shifting ofthe cable when the train or car passes beyond the crossing and engages the remaining trip 13.

Normally the two signals 19 are disposed atone side of the crossing- 3 and the gongs 21 and lights 22 are inoperative. When a car or train approaches the crossing, the striker or stop engages the roller 14 at the lower end of the trip 13 and the latter is then carried along with the car o1'l0c01110 tive until the curved end 18 of the guide 17 is reached, whereupon the trip 13 tilts upwardly and the striker 15 passes beyond the trip 13; the trip 13 then drops back to upright position. The shifting of the trip 13 causes the cable 10 to be moved, thus bringing the signals 19 to a position over the crossing 3 and causing contacts 23 and 24: to engage contacts 25 and 26, completing the circuits to the gong and light, whereupon the gong sounds and the light is illuminated. When the car or locomotive passes well beyond the crossing, the striker 15 engages the other trip 13, carrying it along until it reaches the curved end 18 of its guide 17 .whereupon'it tilts upwardly and the car or locomotive passes. This shifting of the trip 13 at the outgoing side of the crossing restores the respective signals 19 to normal position, the electric circuits then becoming broken.

I claim:

1. In a signal for railroad crossings, the combination with a signal which is movable to display and inactive positions, respectively, of an endless cablecarrying said signal, and car actuated trips carried by the cable, one being adapted for shifting the signal to display position and the other for shitting the signal to inactive posit-ion.

2. In a signal for railroad crossings, the combination with a signal which is movable to display and inactive positions, respectively, of car actuated means for moving the signal to display and inactive posit-ions, electric signal means carried by the signal, and contact or switch means which is adapted to operate to cause energization of the electric signal when said crossing signal is moved to display position and which is rendered inactive when said crossing signal is moved to inactive position.

3. In a signal for railroad crossings, the combination with a signal which is movable to display and inactive positions, respectively, of a cable for moving said signal, a pivoted trip carried by the cable adapted for actuation by a car, and a guide adapted to retain the trip in normal position while it is being shifted to move the signal and ar: ranged to permit the trip to tilt after the signal has been moved so that said trip will be freed from the car.

4. In a signal for railroad crossings, the combination with a signal which is movable to display and inactive posit-ions, respectively, of a cable for shifting the signal, a pivoted trip depending from the cable and adapted for engagement by a car, and a guide with which the trip engages while it is shifting the signal, said guide normally retaining the trip in its depending position and being provided with inclined parts so that the trip will tilt when said parts are reached, to permit the trip to be disengaged from the car.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM DICKHAR-T. 

